CONTENT
1. UK Destinations : The Ridgeway Path
2. UK Genealogy newsletter
3. Gilbert and Sullivan's London
4. London with Kids - part 3
5. UK Travel news and tips
Welcome friends, its time to put the kettle on, settle into a comfortable armchair, and enjoy the best of Britain with Britain Update. But before you do, please take the time to forward this newsletter to someone who loves Britain as much as you do.
David Ross, Publisher
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UK Destinations: The Ridgeway Path
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The Countryside section of Britain Express at www.britainexpress.com/countryside/countryside-index.htm has been expanded to include profiles of National Trails in England, with Scotland and Wales to follow very soon. Each path profile includes a map of the area, highlights of the walk, a list of Ordnance Survey maps needed to cover the route, a selection of suggested guidebooks, and contact information. To give you a sample, here's the beginning of my profile of The Ridgeway Path:
"I like to think of this marvellous path as history underfoot. There must be more reminders of England's ancient history along this path than on any other three long-distance paths put together. The start of the trail is just down the road from the stone circle at Avebury, and almost in sight of the mysterious conical mound of Silbury Hill. And that's just the beginning."
The rest of this article is online at:/countryside/national-trails/ridgeway.htm
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UK Genealogy
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If you've ever been interested in tracing your UK ancestors you may have wondered where to start. I've just run across a new newsletter from the folks at UK Genealogy.co.uk that may help to get you off on the right foot.
UK Genealogy News is a new monthly online newsletter covering all aspects of UK genealogy. The first edition covers site reviews, book reviews, news snippets, an article on using professional researchers and an article on the historical importance of the Church of England to genealogists.
You can view the first edition at http://www.ukgenealogy.co.uk/news/0900.htm
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Books on Britain
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Gilbert and Sullivan's London, by Andrew Goodman
This book is a treasure trove of information on Victorian London and the life and careers of comic opera geniuses WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Author Goodman has organized the book around a series of neighbourhood walks through London districts (i.e. Soho, Mayfair, etc.). Each walk is copiously illustrated with Victorian and Edwardian black and white photographs and line drawings.
The book is oversized at roughly 9 x 7 inches, making it a little large for easy use as a pocket walking guide, and the text is fairly small. Those minor points aside, the historical titbits and details provided in the text give a fascinating glimpse of life in the age of Gilbert and Sullivan - and beyond. For example, Goodman traces the history of The Strand back the time of the Great Fire, and shows how it gradually transformed from farmer's fields to a fine residential area.
The book is full of interesting historical "did-you-knows". Here's one example: the Theatre Royal was originally called the Little Theatre in the Haymarket. The manager of the theatre had the misfortune to lose his leg in an accident while the Duke of York was present. The Duke, presumably out of kindness, obtained the royal patent for the man, allowing him to call his theatre the "Theatre Royal".
If you are interested in Gilbert and Sullivan, this book will be a real find. Even if G&S are not your cup of tea, "Gilbert and Sullivan's London" should help even the most casual London traveller gain a better understanding of the rich history and background of the city and its environs.
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UK Travel Tips
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CATHERINE THE GREAT'S TREASURES
A fabulous exhibition, "Treasures of Catherine the Great", will inaugurate the new Hermitage Rooms in London's Somerset House (Nov. 25 to Sept.23, 2001). More than 500 works of art from the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, will be on view in the suite of rooms, on the ground floor of the South Building of 18th century Somerset House, overlooking the Thames.
The decor and furnishings will recreate, in miniature, the imperial splendour of the Winter Palace which is now the Hermitage Museum. Catherine the Great (1729-1796) was one of the great art collectors of all time, and the five galleries will include several portraits of her. She bought, from his grandson, any pictures collected by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first prime minister, some of which will be displayed, including Poussin's "Moses Striking the Rock". Other items will range from Catherine's wig, made of silver thread and never before exhibited; miniatures; coins and medals; engraved gems and cameos; Sevres and Wedgwood porcelain; furniture; clocks; the Empress's inlaid ivory hunting rifles; and items showing her taste for Chinese objects.
Admission will be £6 adults, £4 concessions, children under 5 free. To avoid queues and crowded galleries, tickets will be available in advance for specific time slots (there will also be a limited number for sale at Somerset House each day). The vast Somerset House, with its public courtyard, also contains the Courtauld Institute Galleries and the Gilbert Collection of decorative arts.
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London with Kids - part 3
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This is the third in Geri Wagner' six-part series on London with Kids (see below for links to the first two parts). Now that the orientation day is over, its time for some more in-depth fun!
DAY TWO ITINERARY
Victoria and Albert "Polytechnicon" er - Museum
Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL
Tel: +44 (0) 20 - 7942 2000
OK, let's get it over with early in the day when everyone is fresh and on their best behaviour - unless, of course, Sally has crushed a Weetabix in Michael's hair during breakfast.
On to one of the few - shhhhh - museums - we'll sneak into this itinerary.
The Victoria and Albert holds one of the world's largest and most diverse collections of the decorative arts. The 146 galleries contain unrivalled collections dating from 3000BC to the present day. Furniture, fashion, textiles, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery, books, prints and photographs illustrate the artistic life of many different cultures from around the world. The museum's magnificent Victorian and Edwardian buildings also contain the National Art Library and some of Britain's best national collections including sculpture, glass, and watercolours. Open all year, daily, 1000-1745, Wed, 1000-2130, last Fri of each month, 1800-2230. Closed 24-26 Dec. Admission: £5.00 (Adults) £0.00 (Children)
Here's the good news - it won't cost anything for the kids to get in, so you won't have wasted money on them if they refuse to look at anything! But I guarantee they'll find something to look at for at least an hour. Be satisfied with about that amount of time in a museum. With 146 galleries, you need to be somewhat discriminating yourself. If your kids are old enough, let them explore a bit on their own and plan a meeting place and time. If they have to stay with adults, find some exhibits that will interest them as well. Remind them that afterwards, you are going to the Park, shopping, and to get their fortunes read! In other words, bribe them!
Hyde Park
OK, you got that over with. Victoria and Albert Museum is a stone's throw from Hyde Park, Harrods and the shopping mecca of London. This Royal Park covers a large area to the south of the Bayswater area, 341 acres in total and is a popular recreational and resting haven for tourists and Londoners alike. Hyde Park originated as the hunting grounds of Henry V111 who swiped the land from the monks at Westminster.
In the summers you are able to go boating on the Serpentine, a large lake at the centre of Park, or simply lounge on the grass near the lake and people watch, or play catch. On Sundays the Park is crowded at Speakers Corner, a tradition in Hyde Park since 1855, for the famous 'tub-thumping' where public orators on rostrums and soapboxes air their views to a group of listeners. Heckling is a favourite sport, but as most of the speakers aren't really very interesting and the others are rather rude you probably won't bother to heckle for long. (However this makes it one of the liveliest and funniest places to visit in London).
Harrod's Department Store
Knightsbridge, London SW1
Tel: 011 44 171 730 1234
Harrod's is certainly the largest department store in the world. Take plenty of time to check out various departments. In fact, your group might want to split up and shop around for say, an hour before gathering together in Harrod's world-famous Food Hall downstairs, to browse and sample the infinite and various dishes available there. But don't get too full, because there's afternoon tea yet, starting at 3:45 p.m!
VAT REFUNDS: VAT, just like American sales tax, is charged on almost everything, but please remember that refunds only apply to goods being taken out of the country, not services. American visitors to Britain can reclaim the 17.5% VAT, minus the administrative fee, on purchases over a minimum limit (check with the store for their limit--usually £50-£100). Look for the "Tax-Free Shopping" sign in the windows of participating stores.
All you have to do is fill out the form, which the sales assistant will give you, keep the goods in your hand luggage and show both goods and forms to the VAT desk at the airport on your departure. A customs officer will check the goods and validate the refund voucher. You can receive your refund on the spot at some airports, otherwise you should mail the validated form back to the store in the envelope provided, and a refund check will be sent to you by mail. You can also have the refund credited to your credit card account. Please be patient, refunds can take up to three months to be processed. Any queries should be taken up with the store where you purchased the goods. Don't forget that VAT refunds cannot be processed after you arrive back home in the USA.
Afternoon Tea at Harrod's
Mon-Sat 3:45-5:15pm.
Tea is taken in the 4th floor Georgian Restaurant, the largest in-store restaurant in the world. Live music. £17.(around $9 USD)
After tea, head south for a stroll through Belgravia; few tourists venture here but it's London at its most Upstairs, Downstairs.
NEXT ISSUE:
Day 3 Itinerary
Missed the first two parts of this article?
Preliminaries at:
/London/london-kids1.htm
Day One itinerary at
/London/london-kids2.htm
That's all for now. Until next issue, let me remind you that laughter is contagious. Be a carrier.
David Ross, Publisher, Britain Express
